Under Heaven

Great good read!

Ends a bit abruptly. Develops at a nice pace but then seemingly jumps to the end. Might have been better as two books? But it's still a great story! I'm a big fan of GGK!

Guy Gavriel Kay's books always start out slowly for me, then inexorably draw me into a world that is intricately depicted and totally compelling. I care deeply about his characters. Sometimes I find myself thinking that I would Ike more fantasy "stuff" in his writings, but I actually feel that he creates a world in which magic is so real that it is not actually necessary to be overt about it. I finished this book with much sadness; I will miss these characters. what more can I say? This is a book to s a v o r.

In the age of vampire fantasy and Tolkien knockoffs Guy Gavriel Kay consistently produces works that are original, artistic, compelling, and educational. The author is skilled at blending a historical age of the real world into his fantasy tapestry. Under Heaven is set in a fantasy version of ancient China. You never really know what to expect with one of his stories but by the end you will be sad to leave the wonderful worlds he has created. If you are looking for military or dark fantasy this is not the book for you. Conflict is handled with broad strokes. What he excels at are the characters, their relationships, and their navigation through intriguing political intrigues. The only criticism that I could levy at this work is it is quite similar to the justly awesome Sarantine Mosaic also by the same author. Both stories are extremely compelling in the own ways. The solution is to read them both. Under Heaven proves that Guy Gavriel Kay is a must read author. If you are the fence do yourself a favor and give it a shot. You will be glad you did.

An enjoyable read from a celebrated author of historical fantasy. While the story is slow to develop and there is a great deal of repetition, the writing and depth of character development is surprising for the genre. In fact, if just considering the genre, I would give it an extra star. For the fantasy fan, there is little beyond some ghosts and half wolves. Although they have prominent impact on events, they are a very small part of the writing itself. More time is spent highlighting the relationships and sexual desires of the male characters and some of their women.

His best since "A Song For Arbonne".